Province extends deadline to apply for disaster relief for Windsor-Essex flood

Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs has extended the deadline to apply for disaster relief and expanded the area where residents affected by the record-breaking flood in August can apply.

• 91 provincial disaster relief applications despite thousands of flooded Windsor homes

More than 6,000 basements were flooded after parts of the region were doused with more than 200 millimetres of rain on August 29. The Disaster Recovery Assistance program was activated a week later, but the ministry said only 91 people had applied for assistance as of Nov. 7.

Not everyone who applies for the program receives support. Damage caused by sewer backup is not covered except under special circumstances for low-income homeowners.

• Provincial disaster relief may leave scores wanting following Windsor-Essex flooding

Homeowners, small-business owners and not-for-profit organizations affected by the flood in Windsor, Amherstburg, Essex, Lakeshore, LaSalle, Tecumseh and Essex County now have until March 20 to apply.